Almost everybody presents non-uniformities of color on varying scales that relate to the face and also to the bust, the neck, the hands, and the body as a whole.
These non-uniformities are often mere differences in color, but they can also be associated with non-uniformities in three-dimensional shape, e.g. recesses, dilated pores, or small scars, because of the light and shade effects they create.
Although these color non-uniformities are well accepted by some people, many people are ill-at-ease with all or some of the non-uniformities presented by their skin. This is particularly true of non-uniformities that lie on skin that can be seen, for example the face, the hands, the bust, or the scalp.
From time immemorial, and all over the globe, compositions that present covering power have been used to mask such non-uniformities. By way of example, they may be in the form of a cream or a fluid for applying by hand and in general they contain pigments. They are applied either on the non-uniformity alone, or over a larger area, thereby extending beyond the non-uniformity itself.
Great progress has been made in improving such compositions, but it nevertheless remains that they present a drawback that it is difficult to overcome, namely since their color is predefined they do not take account of the color of the skin.
This can raise two problems.
The first is that it is necessary to make the color of the composition that is purchased match the color of the purchaser's own skin. The slightest difference often produces a visible effect. This drawback can be limited by masking the entire face with the composition. However, under such circumstances, the face or the body portion concerned is visibly made up, and therefore does not look natural.
The second problem is that the color of the skin of a single body varies considerably from one location to another. Some portions are more pigmented, others less, some are yellower, redder, or bluer in color. These differences are not necessarily large differences, but the human eye is sensitive to small color differences. To be effective, it is necessary to treat all portions of the body with compositions of different colors. This is theoretically possible, and sometimes even done. However such work is very time-consuming and requires technical competence that is not compatible with everyday application of makeup.
Publication WO 2007/022095 A1 discloses a method of applying makeup in which an agent that modifies the reflectance of the skin is applied to the skin by using ink jet printer technology. In one embodiment, the device includes a scanner and an ink jet printer, and in a single pass over the skin it analyses the skin, identifies unattractive characteristics, calculates the improvements to be made, and applies the agent that modifies reflectance so as to obtain those improvements. For example, the device can give a softer appearance to the skin by identifying pale and dark points and by applying the reflectance-modifying agent so as to darken pale points using a predefined averaging technique. The device may include means for recognizing the treated zone, e.g. the cheek bone or the cheek so that the improvements made are specific to the zone being treated, e.g. making cheeks look rosy so as to give the appearance of a person in better health, or darkening zones under the cheek bones so as to make them less prominent. A colorant may be deposited on certain portions of the skin to make it more uniform and markers that fluoresce under ultraviolet illumination may be used to make it easier to recognize certain regions during treatment. In an example seeking to simulate tanning, an agent that modifies the spectral characteristics of the skin is applied so as to reduce contrast between pale and dark zones, darkening zones of the skin in selective manner, while causing certain details of the skin to disappear. In another element, pale zones around wrinkles are darkened but the hollow zones within wrinkles are not modified.
Publication WO 2004/090629 A2 discloses a method of printing on the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,893 describes an ink jet printer suitable for being moved manually over the skin. The printer may have a screen for displaying images that are to be printed and a device that enables the image to be personalized, e.g. by adding text or other information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,733 describes an applicator having an ink jet printer head.
Application US 2006/0098076 discloses a system for ink jet printing on the skin that includes means for positioning the face. The printer system is suitable for printing hairs on the eyebrows or for printing color on the cheeks for blending in with a brush.
Application WO 02/01499 A2 describes a method of applying makeup by means of a movable applicator head supported by an arm that is articulated so as to follow the three-dimensional shape of the zone being made up. The three-dimensional shape is acquired with the help of one or more cameras. A design selected by the user can be printed using an ink jet. The printing may serve to cover a pigment mark with the same color as the surrounding skin, after performing colorimetric analysis thereon.
Application DE 10153249 A1 describes a method of applying compositions on the skin by means of an ink jet printing technique. Printing may be performed using a handpiece held by the user. In a variant, the print head may move relative to the skin by moving a belt or a carriage on a rail that is itself movable on two slideways at its ends.
Publication JP 2006-297691 discloses a printer system for printing an image on the skin, the system being fitted with means that enable the color of the skin to be measured. The printer system takes account of the color of the skin in the image that is to be reproduced, the print head being provided with a photodetector. For example, for a dark skin, the quantity of ink is increased. In a variant, not only is the lightness of the skin taken into consideration but also its color when calculating the image for printing.
Publication GB 2 343 657 describes a portable ink jet printer suitable for printing a mark authorizing entry to a concert or a discotheque on the forearm or the hand of a person. The ink that is deposited may be visible, fluorescent, magnetic, phosphorescent, or photochromic.
Application WO 02/00189 A1 describes a method of applying a colored composition on the skin in which it is possible to select a blemish on an image of the zone for treatment, which image is obtained by means of a camera that also measures color. Image modification software makes it possible to correct a blemish in the zone for treatment, e.g. a depigmented zone, by outlining the zone with the help of a computer mouse and then printing on the corrected zone the color of the surrounding zone.
Publication WO 03/033270 discloses an ink jet printer that can be positioned manually on the skin in order to print a tattoo.
Publication US 2007/0114305 describes an electrostatic spray device for making up the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,550 discloses an installation capable of printing on the skin, in particular on the skin of the face.
Numerous appliances are also known for printing on the nails, e.g. from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,931,166 and 6,035,860.
None of those known printer devices is entirely satisfactory, in particular for the purpose of obtaining makeup that is accurate, natural, and varied.
There exists a need to benefit from novel means for making up keratinous material, and for example hiding color or gloss non-uniformities in a manner that is difficult to see.